Display background construction



Jan. 6, 1942. H. H. MOORE DISPLAY BACKGROUND CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 25, 1939 I I I NVENTORP BY HARQLJD H, M 0) 01mm ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 6, 1942 .uarrso STATES Par" OFF-ICE"? 2,268,669 V i DISPLAY BACKGROUND CONSTRUCTION Harold H. Moore, Cleveland, Ohio Application October 25, 1939, Serial No; 301,182

2 Claims.

This invention relates to display devices and more particularly to an improvement in a display background of the type disclosed and claimed in my Patent No. 2,163,259 of June 20, 1939.

As will be found by reference to my patent above referred to, display backgrounds prior to the method disclosed in said patent involved a construction including a series of panels and rectangular frame work for each of the panels employed in the display background. It will be understood as this description proceeds that I obtain many of the advantages of the patented construction in the display background of the instant application. a

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a display background wherein the panels which make up the background are free of frame members prior to their assembly in the finished display and wherein the separate panels are easily and quickly secured in position without the use of tools and by inexperienced persons.

;It is a further object of my invention to provide a display background according to the preceding object, wherein the panels maybe removed from the devices which secure the panels to each other without damage to the panels per se, so that such panels may be again incorporated in a display background made according to my invention.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a display background of the type referred to in the two preceding objects, wherein the panels are secured to each other by a metallic.

connecting member having channels to embrace the edges of adjacent panels and wherein said channels are provided with reentrant buttons or dimples to secure the panels in position.

It is a. further object of my invention to provide a display background of the character de scribed, wherein the panels are secured to each other by a metallic connecting member having channels hinged-to each other so that the panels in their assembled condition may be arranged at any desired angle with respect to each other.

Further objects and advantages relating to simplicity in construction and economies in manufacturing will appear from the following description and drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a display background constructed according to my invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the display background shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view takenat the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view takenalong the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

, Figure 6 is a perspective view with parts broken away showing the connector element and panels of Figure 3; and

Figure 7 is a sectional view showing a modiv fied form of hinge assembly constructed according to my invention.

Although display backgrounds made in ac-; cordance with the teachings of my patent re 1 ferred to are Well suited to many display background uses, I have found that for certain inwhen the panel is withdrawn from the channel. .-v

Accordingto my present invention, I prefer to employ a series of buttons or dimples in the ,.metallic connector element channels to secure I the panels in their assembledposition. I have found that such buttons or dimples may utilize the inherent resilience of the metal channel itself, and that the buttons or dimples will form a recess or groove in the panel and retain the panel securely in position without damage to the panel upon withdrawal.

An advantage flowing from the use of buttons or dimples, as distinguished from the sharp prongs of the patent construction, is that the panels once used in a display assembly in one location, maybe removed from the assembly and reassembled at a diiierent location. For instance, a chain of stores may desire the sequential use of a single display background, and such display background if made according to the invention of this-application maybe assembled first in one store, dismantled, and thereafter easily and effectively reassembled insequen-ce in the 7 various stores of the chain.

The present invention permitsthe use of relatively soft material for the whereas,- the use of sharpprongs, as disclosedin my patented construction, would tend to damage such soft materials upon the removal of the panelfrom the channel. a i

connector element having buttons or dimples as panels, such as' for instance, corrugated cardboard and the like;

above described, with a hinge unit between the channels of the connector element. The provision of the hinged connector element permits a dealer to swing the sections of the display background at any desired angle with respect to each other, so as to quickly and easily fit the display background to the proportions or contour of the dealers store.

Referring particularly to the drawing, I have illustrated a display background comprising a series of panels 8 to l4, inclusive; which panels are secured to each other by metal connecting columns. as a background for the display of arefrigerator, and the panels of the background are arranged at an angle with respect to each other. so as to lend stability to the entire assembly.

The panel 8 is arranged at 90 degreeswith'respect to the panel 9 and is secured in this position by means of a connector element 20 which carries at each of its vertical edges a channel adapted to embrace the adjacentpanel sections. The channel may be inexpensively formed by spot welding an offset portion 2| to the body of the connector 20 and the members 2| are turned outwardly as at 22 to provide a lip to facilitate insertion of the panels. The portions 2| are also provided with a series of spaced, reentrant buttons or dimples 23 which are pressed into the material of the panel by the resilience inherent in the metal of the member 2|. The last described condition presupposes a proportioning between the thickness of the panel and the channel so that the material of the panel is depressed by the button 23 as the panel is forced into the channel.

The panel 9 is secured to the next adjacent panel In by means of a hinged connecting column 25, which comprises a pair of oppositely disposed metal channels 26 and 21 which are spot welded as indicated in Figure 3 to the leaves of a hinge element 28 extending the full length of the channels 26 and 27. The channels of the hinged connecting element 25 are preferably provided with lips 29 and with reentrant buttons or dimples 29a The display background is illustrated. i

umn 30 is constructed and arranged similar to the column 20, the main difference between the connecting column 30 and the connecting column 20 being in the angle at which the body of the connector column is disposed.

On the right hand side of the display background assembly, I'have shown a second type of hinged connecting column wherein the pintle of the hinge is on the forward side of the display background so that the adjacent panels l2 and I3 may approach each other at an angle less than 180 degrees at the interior of the display background.

It will be understood by reference to Figure 3 that the hinged connecting column shown in Figure 3 will not permit the panels 9 and ID to be swung toward each other beyond a coplanar position, whereas the hinged connecting element 35, as shown in detailin Figure 4, permits the panels to be swung beyond a coplanar position. The hinged construction of connecting element 35 presents an advantage in arranging a display background such as shown in Figure 1, wherein it is desired to have the panels arranged with respect to each other at the interior of the display at an angle of less than degrees.

The right hand panel indicated at M is preferably secured to the panel l3 by a connector column 20 such as shown and described in connection with the securement of panels 8 and 9.

For certain installations or for reasons of economy, it may be desirable to form the hinging along its edge remote from the panel with a curl or head 42 and the metal element 43 is provided with a curl or bead 45 having a curvature similar to the curl or bead 42. The element 43 is pro:

vided withan offset, panel-gripping portion 44 and the element 40 is similarly provided with a portion 4| to grip the panel 48. It will be understood that the two panel and channel assemblies may be connected to each other by sliding the curl or bead 45 longitudinally through the open end of the curl or bead 42 and that the comple- H mentary curved portions permit a hinging of the panel 41 with respect to the panel 48.

Although I have shown and described one form of my invention in considerable detail, it will be appreciated that numerous modifications may be made therein and therefore my invention is not to be limited to the particular structure shown and described, but that the scope of my invention should be defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A display background comprising a series of panels arranged in edge-to-edge relation, means to secure said panels to each other along adjacent Vertical edges and provide angular adjustment of one panel with respect to the next adjacent.

panel, comprising a pair of spaced, resilient U- shaped channels to engage and overlap the ver-, tical edge portions of adjacent panels, said channels provided with a vertical series of spaced, re-

entrant portions to secure the panel within the channel and a hinge having two'leaves, one leaf being secured to the bight portion of one panel and the other leaf being secured to the bight. portion of the other panel.

2. In a display background device comprising a series of vertical panels arranged in edge-toedge relation, means to secure one panel to the next adjacent panel, comprising a pair of resil-. ient sheet-metal, vertically-disposed, U-shaped f channels arranged in back-to-back relation with the open portion of each of the channels em-' bracing and holding a panel edge, a continuous,. vertical, metallic hinge member having one leaf I thereof spot welded to the bight portion of. one

channel and another leaf thereof spot welded to the bight portion of the other channel, whereby the channels with the panels held therein may be arranged at an angle with respect to each other. I

HAROLD H. MOORE. 

